With just over a month to go before the start of the new edition of the World Baseball Classic (WBC), manager Germán Mesa is confident that the team he will lead in the tournament can repeat the performance of the previous edition, when they finished in fourth place.
In statements to the press, reported by the EFE news agency, the Havana-born manager assured that this result could be achieved regardless of whether or not the roster includes players who currently play in Major League Baseball (MLB).
“It’s not a matter of names,” but of “those who want to be there,” said the former player, who in the previous edition accompanied strategist Armando Johnson on the coaching staff, as bench coach.
“I believe that in these short events, the best team doesn’t always win, the team that plays best wins. We are preparing to play the best game possible. Who’s to say we can’t win?” he said, while several of the eligible players were conducting a training session at the Latinoamericano Stadium in Havana.
Drop in several players
The Cuba team will participate with part of its roster in the Series of the Americas to be held in early February in Venezuela, and then will play a four-game friendly series against Nicaragua.
By then, the roster that will participate in the Classic should be finalized, and it will be clear how many MLB players will be able to represent the island in the tournament.
In the last edition, Cuba had the services of infielders Andy Ibáñez (recently signed by the Los Angeles Dodgers), Yoan Moncada (who recently extended his contract with the Los Angeles Angels) and outfielder Luis Robert Jr. (traded last week from the Chicago White Sox to the New York Mets).
Cubanos en MLB: Luis Robert Jr. se muda a Nueva York para jugar con los Mets
This was an unprecedented situation, and these players, along with others with previous experience in MLB and the Minor Leagues, proved to be key pieces in advancing to the decisive stage, the most outstanding performance since the second-place finish in the inaugural edition of the tournament.
For this occasion, Luis Robert declined the opportunity to repeat the experience and, according to reports, Ibáñez recently declined his inclusion in the group in order to accelerate his preparation for the upcoming season.
Another player who was in the initial plans of the coaching staff and announced that he would not join the group was Dodgers outfielder Andy Pagés, who recently won the World Series again after a remarkable season.
Regarding the change of heart of the player from Pinar del Río, who had initially assured that he would be in the Classic, the Cuban manager attributed it to a “personal” decision that he did not comment on, according to EFE.
Warming up
The group of 18 eligible players, including several who play in various professional leagues, began their preparation for the Classic.
One of their key players is pitcher Liván Minelo, from Pinar del Río, who told the news agency that beyond the possibility of having MLB players, the important thing is to “play good baseball.”
Cuba comienza a ajustar su maquinaria rumbo al Clásico Mundial de Béisbol
“I think that so far the main thing is to improve on that fourth-place finish, which I think left a good taste,” said the Most Valuable Player of the past season in the Pacific Division of the Japanese Professional Baseball League (NPB) and champion of the tournament with the SoftBank Hawks.
“I think it’s possible to be among the top three and I believe that with the guys we have, we can achieve it. It’s all about working with the right mindset to win,” he added.
Santiago de Cuba infielder Yoel Yanqui, who played in Nicaragua this year and has experience in MLB Triple-A, shared a similar view.
“I say that if everyone goes out there and gives their best, I think we can repeat our success. This is a team sport. It’s not individual,” he emphasized.
The Cuba team is scheduled to debut in San Juan, Puerto Rico, where they will compete against the teams from Canada, Panama, Colombia and the host country.
In addition to the Puerto Rican capital, the 6th World Baseball Classic will have preliminary rounds in Japan and the United States. For the next round, the action will be concentrated in the American cities of Houston and Miami, the latter also chosen to host the final.
